Multi-image ads in ChatGPT: four to six images, the square rule and the right crop

Until October a chat card in ChatGPT consisted of one image, a headline, text and a link. Since 26 October 2026 there is a second format: four to six square images in a fixed order, each clickable, all with the same destination URL. OpenAI launched it as an open beta in Ads Manager and, per the advertiser email of 30 October, opened it to all advertisers. This article explains the rules, shows what the format is good for and walks through creating one in Chatvertise, including the point where most ads fail: the square.

What the ad looks like

The rules

• Four to six images, each square (1:1). OpenAI rejects non-square images.
• The order is fixed; you set it when creating the ad. The first image should be the strongest.
• One destination URL for all images. There are no per-image links.
• Call to action is “Learn more” only, for now.
• Headline and description follow the same rules as single-image ads.
• All three campaign objectives: reach, clicks, conversions.
• No price field. Price and image crop exist only for single-image ads.

What the format is good for

Several images pay off when a product lives from several views: furniture from the front and in the room, clothing worn and in detail, software as four screens of a flow, a hotel as room, pool, breakfast, location. For a single product with one strong image the single-image ad remains the better choice, not least because only it can show a price. OpenAI's own advice: keep images simple and relevant, no abstract or cluttered visuals.

The square: why most ads fail here

Product images are rarely square. A 16:9 image from the shop can't be uploaded; it has to be cropped first, in a way that keeps the subject inside the square. That's why Chatvertise opens a crop dialog automatically when you pick a non-square image: drag the image, zoom, apply. The result is a square file that gets uploaded; the original is kept in case you want to change the crop later.

How to create the ad in Chatvertise

• Create an ad and choose the image mode “Multiple images (4–6)”.
• Select four to six images (PNG, JPG or WebP, up to 5 MB each). For every non-square image the crop dialog opens in turn.
• Set the order with the arrows; the preview strip shows the tiles in that order.
• Enter headline, text and destination URL; they apply to all images. Save.
• As always the ad is created paused. Activate it after approval.

When editing: if you leave the images untouched they are kept. If you pick new ones, the new selection replaces the old one completely. An existing single-image ad can't be converted into a multi-image ad; create a new one instead. Cloning and moving copy the images along.

If OpenAI says “not enabled”

The API has an account gate for this format. If OpenAI answers on save that ads with multiple images are not enabled for the ad account, Chatvertise shows exactly that message. Then the only options are waiting or asking OpenAI support; until then the single-image ad stays. The other save errors that can happen on creation are explained in Five errors when saving an ad.

Single-image ads get a crop too

On the side, the API gained a second image detail: for single-image chat cards ChatGPT also shows the image square, and you can define which part of a non-square image stays visible. In Chatvertise it's the same dialog; for an already uploaded image only the crop is saved, the file stays. The preview shows exactly the crop ChatGPT will show.

Test, don't replace

Put the multi-image ad next to the existing single-image ad in the same ad group, not in its place. After a week the comparison of CTR and conversion rate shows which format carries this product. For the basics of creating ads see How to advertise in ChatGPT; all of the month's changes are in the late-October update.